Longtime friend and collaborator Tom Scott said he received a call around 1pm on Sunday to say Ball had passed away.

It's understood Ball had been suffering from Alzheimer's and had been nursed at his Gisborne home for some time. He is survived by his wife Pam, and children.

Footrot Flats stars Wal and Dog.

Scott, a cartoonist who was also born in Ball's hometown of Feilding, said Ball had given him his first break more than 30 years ago when he asked him to write a script for Footrot Flats, the movie.

“He was a hero of mine when I was growing up in the Manawatu. It was tremendous to think these great cartoons could be created by someone living just up the road, the didn't need to be things done overseas.”

Scott said a lot of of Ball's work was “fiercely political and fiercely egalitarian”.

“Those were Murray's two passion, he was passionate about injustice.”

Murray Ball with wife Pam at his Gisborne home and his three dogs. — Photograph: Brett Mead.

Scott said he worked with Ball on the script for 1986 film Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale for two years, fine tuning the story of Wal and Dog.

Scott also recalled watching Ball play rugby for Manawatu against the touring Lions team in 1959.

“He was a sporting hero, he was a creative hero and then when I met him he was a hero of a man.”